


We Are Buried In Broken Dreams

by CherryBlossomCheeseCake



Series: Aleto Men Moi Nostos [3]
Category: Final Fantasy XV
Genre: Multi, Tagging as I go, messed up teenage emotions, pretty much slice of life so far, we gonna have a love triangle at some point cuz teens are confused little shits
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-07-23
Updated: 2018-11-11
Packaged: 2019-06-14 19:44:02
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 13,668
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15396036
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CherryBlossomCheeseCake/pseuds/CherryBlossomCheeseCake
Summary: Soo has been growing strong after the fall of Goryeo, healing from the trauma with the help of Noctis & numerous doctors. But life in Insomnia isn't easy. Trying to find a place in the city, & Noctis' life, is difficult, with many bumps in the road. But it'll be alright, cause Soo has Noctis & he has her, right?





	1. Appassionata

**Author's Note:**

> HELLO EVERYBODY! I'm back after my week long vacation with my new story! I managed to get five chapters written while I was gone, so I will be slowly releasing them over time according to an update schedule. I'm not too sure what that schedule will be atm since I have yet to start my new job and get a steady schedule, but I can hopefully figure it out soon enough.  
> So I hope you guys enjoy this next part of Soo's story, I've got a lot of twists and turns planned out so make sure y'all keep up with the updates.   
> this chapter's track is from scarlet heart ryeo's ost.

My days after being freed from my five month long hospital stay followed an easy outline prescribed by the doctor at the request of the king. I was to be eased into physical activity to gain back strength in my muscles and placed on a meal plan to build me back up to a healthy weight. I was also to continue seeing my assigned therapist to keep working on recovering mentally from my experiences following the invasion of Goryeo. This was to carry on for weeks until I was within the weight range for a girl of my size and build.

After the third week of my diet and strength building, I was given clearance to join the latest batch of Kingsglaive recruits for training as long as I was eased into the routine and continued with the prescribed diet.

It was my second week in training and it was already a bit intimidating to be attending magic theory and basic training with other recruits when most were physically ten years older. I had already stood out on the first day with my crownsguard escourt since I was technically a ward of the Crown at the current moment. And then my Goryean features in a sea of Galahdian tattoos and braids didn’t help.

It helped that there was that mutual understanding between my fellow recruits and I that we were all considered outsiders in Insomnia, but I was still an outsider among them on a number of levels besides race.

I climbed out of bed with a sigh, ready to face another day of magic theory lectures and basic combat training. My walk from my bed to the bathroom was short, coming to a stop in front of the sink and washing my face before brushing my teeth. 

I walked back to my bedroom to dress in the simple clothes provided to me by my assigned agent, an easy combo of black leggings and a white long sleeved t-shirt with a hunter green spring jacket over it. I padded out of my bedroom and into the kitchen, attempting to make some breakfast out of the food provided for me.

I stuck close to safety, making some oatmeal and toast with a type of nut butter for my breakfast. I flicked on the kettle to make my morning tea, pulling out one of the disposable paper cups from the cupboard so I could take it with me to the training centre. 

While waiting for the water to boil, I turned on my phone, flicking through my apps as I ate my oatmeal and toast. I clicked on the message thread I had going with Noctis, seeing the notification I had from five minutes ago.

_ Hey, Prom and I were wondering if you wanted to hang out at the arcade after you’re done with training for the day. He’s really excited to meet you, like you have no idea. It’ll be my treat :) _

I smiled fondly at the younger boy’s use of an emoticon, shaking my head lightly as I checked my calendar before replying.

_ Hi, just saw your message now. Unfortunately, I have a meeting with my immigration and social services lawyers after training today. We’re still trying to find my next of kin so I’m not a ward of the crown for the next year :( _

I sent off the message and set my phone down on the counter, taking a bite out of my toast as I waited for a response. The kettle clicked quietly in the silent kitchen, prompting me to walk over to it and pick out a tea bag and submerse it in hot water to steep.

Walking back to my breakfast, Noctis had left me another reply.

_ You’re so boring and responsible. You’re a bit like Iggy in that sense. _

I huffed out a laugh, quickly typing out a response.

_ Well maybe if you stopped by the citadel more often, you could visit me regularly. Also, get off your phone, I know your homeroom has started and you shouldn’t be texting me. _

His reply was instant.

_ Okay mom :D _

My chuckles increased as I typed.

_ Ttyl, have a good day and say hi to Prompto for me! :) _

I slipped my phone into my jacket pocket, scarfing down the remains of my breakfast before placing the dishes in the sink. I fished the tea bag out of my to go cup and tossed it in the trash, fixing my tea with sugar and milk. I dug in the cupboard for a lid and snapped it on before carrying it over to the front hall.

Setting the cup on the small table next to the shoe rack, I stuffed my feet into my boots and tied the laces tightly. Swiping up my keys, temporary ID and to-go cup, I shoved my keys and ID into my coat pocket before making my way through the quiet halls of the citadel apartments.

I nodded silently at the few Crownsguard and Kingsglaive that were on duty in the halls, receiving a nod in return at most, and a blink at least. I scuttled through the halls to the servants’ side entrance where the plain black car was waiting to take me to the Kingsglaive headquarters.

I dozed for the short drive through downtown Insomnia to the Kingsglaive headquarters, my head bumping lightly against the window. Insomnia was truly a city that never slept, the streets only just transitioning from the nightlife of bar hoppers and partiers to people heading off to their nine to five jobs.

The car came to a stop outside the training centre, letting me slip out onto the curb with a quiet thanks to the driver. I silently blended in with the other recruits slowly filing into the building for another day of magic theory and basic combat lessons.

After a long three hours of lessons on how to handle the elements correctly in theory and battle tactics training, I was allowed a break with my group of trainees. Of course I didn’t really communicate with my fellow recruits due to an age gap, racial tensions, or a combination of both. 

Despite both Galahdians and Goryeans being minorities in Insomnia, there was some friction between myself and my fellow recruits due to my close association with the Crown. I could tell that most thought I was just a noble’s neice or something, that had a passing romantic fancy with becoming a Glaive, and most kept their distance from me. But a few of the younger recruits were definitely bristling over my presence, and it was only a matter of time before one of them snapped.

I sat alone in the cafeteria per usual for my lunch break, flicking through my phone as I nibbled at a mixed berry muffin that I had purchased with my tea and water. It was a little strange to be using technology after being without it for almost nine years, but it was easy to slip back into the routine of moving between social media platforms and catching up on the news.

I answered Noctis’ text messages that I had missed earlier and opened the most recent photo Prompto had sent me of the prince, smiling down at the confused and bored expression on his face. I locked my phone before sliding it back in my pocket and continuing to pick at my muffin.

I was startled when one of my fellow recruits who was closer in age to me sat down across from me, his icy blue gaze latched onto mine in a glare. We sat in silence for a few heartbeats before I continued to pick at my muffin.

“Can I help you with something, Recruit Constans?” I asked politely, taking a sip of my tea and waiting for his answer.

“Yeah, I’d like for your spoiled ass to either take this seriously, or get the hell out. We don’t have the space or time to be looking after a privileged princess like you.” the young man replied, his tone incredibly bitter as he glared at me.

I sighed lightly, wrapping up the remainder of my muffin as I said calmly, “If you have an issue with me being here, I suggest you take it up with recruitment or our superiors. I have every right to serve Lucis and His Majesty as a Glaive after everything he’s done for me, same as you.”

“You noblefolk have the Crownsguard for that service bullshit, so why don’t you run along to daddy, and get a transfer.” he spat out, determined to continue his one sided argument with me.

My own gaze narrowed, my lips thinning into a harsh line as I glared at the man.

“Let me make it clear to you, recruit. I have every right to be here, same as you. I owe the king a massive debt for taking me into the crown city after the fall of Goryeo, and even more for allowing me to receive the medical attention I needed after being tortured for weeks by Nifelheim invaders. So why don’t you check yourself before opening your mouth to spew uneducated opinions and let me continue my training in peace.”

The prick opened his big mouth in another attempt to argue with me but I grabbed my coffee and stood up from my table to leave before I had to listen to anymore of his blathering.

I stepped into the locker room after the three hours of basic combat training we had to go through after lunch, sweaty and exhausted as hell. I gave a nod in acknowledgment to a few of the senior Glaives sitting on one of the benches in the room before heading for the women’s shower.

I nearly plowed head first into the chest of Crowe as she led a few other Glaives through the locker room and chattered off to them. The older girl grabbed my upper arms to steady me, smiling warmly.

“Hey kiddo, fancy catching you here.” she greeted me, a crooked smile on her face

“Yeah, long time no see.” I said, giving a small smile of my own.

“You can say that again. I’m sure you remember Nyx.” the man I recognized from my rescue nodded to me, getting a nod in return, “And this idiot is Libertus.” Crowe continued, throwing a thumb over her shoulder at her other companion.

Libertus protested her minor verbal abuse, giving a nod to me when he finished.

“So, wouldn’t have pegged you for the type to join the Glaive. You were a court lady to one of the princesses and were the granddaughter of the former first princess, right?” Nyx inquired, leaning against the locker to his right.

“Yeah but this is where His Majesty thinks I’m needed. There’s no place for refugees in the Crownsguard and I want to learn to fight back so what those doctors did to me never happens to anyone else ever again.” I replied, shifting my weight slightly.

“Hear hear.” Libertus injected into the conversation, “So where you headed off to, missy?” 

“Was just gonna grab a shower before leaving. I’ve got a meeting with my lawyers about immigration and trying to find a proper guardian so I don’t remain a ward of the Crown until I turn eighteen.” I told the three of them.

“Well, we’d better get going as well. We’re being deployed in the next hour, so gotta head to get briefed. “ Nyx said, pushing off the lockers to stand up straight.

I nodded in understanding, “Okay, see you later. Stay safe.”

“We’ll try our best.” Crowe assured me with another grin.

I let the trio pass before continuing back to the showers, undressing in the little cubical outside the shower, folding my clothes neatly beside my spare shirt before turning the water on and washing up. The standard issue soap provided burned my skin slightly but quickly rinsed it off before turning the water off. 

I swiped my towel off the hook before drying myself and dressing in my spare shirt and pants. Pulling my socks and boots back on, I threw my jacket over my arm and grabbed my towel before leaving the shower area.

Tossing my towel in the laundry hamper, I walked over to the large mirror on the wall to fix my hair. Pulling it out of the ponytail I had worn it in during training, I tried to finger comb my black tresses into submission before slipping my hair tie around my wrist and straightening my clothes.

Satisfied with my appearance, I slipped quietly out of the locker room and headed for the exit of the headquarters where the crown provided car would be waiting to take me to my meeting.

The car ride was short, the business district only a five minute drive from the Glaive headquarters. I slipped out onto the sidewalk with a small nod of thanks to the driver before heading into the building my lawyers worked in.

I walked past the front desk and called the elevator, waiting patiently for it to arrive. 

The ride to the tenth floor was swift and I stepped out into the hushed murmur of people working.

I hurried over to my lawyer’s office, seeing both my social services and immigration lawyers settling down for the meeting.

“Good afternoon Miss Lorica. Ms. Acilia.” I offered with a bright smile as I walked in.

“Ah there you are, dear. On time like always.” Miss Lorica said happily, gesturing for me to sit down.

“How was training today, sweetie?” Ms. Acilia asked as she sorted out her files.

“It’s going along quite well, I think my unit will undergo the ceremony within the week if we all keep moving forward at the pace we have been.”

“Splendid news. Now, shall we discuss what we arranged the meeting for?”

“Now that your immigration status has been updated and your Insomnian records match up, you’re back to your original status of dual citizenship with Lucis and Goryeo. So you’ll be issued a new ID in a few days via mail.”

“Okay and where are we with the guardian hunt?”

“That’s proving to be a little trickier, deary. Your father had very few living relatives at the time of his death and he was disowned by his parents previous to adopting you. We managed to locate his father, his mother died a few years back, but due to Aetius being disowned on the basis of a racist viewpoint, we’re very reluctant to place you with your paternal grandfather.” Miss Lorica said, flipping through a file briefly before closing it, “But Giovi isn’t the type of man to die without naming an heir, so we’re trying to locate the individual he chose to see if they’ll be an appropriate guardian for you.”

I nodded in understanding, “And how long do you think finding them will take?”

“A few weeks at most. It’ll just take a bit of time to sort through the family records and track down any recent changes to the line of succession.” she answered, giving me a slightly apologetic look.

“Alright, thank you for keeping me updated on the process. And thank you for taking on my case, Ms. Acilia.” 

“It’s no trouble, don’t be afraid to contact me if anybody gives you any problems over your immigration status and whatnot.”

“Definitely. Thanks again.”

“I’ll give you a call if I have anything new about your family.”

“Thanks, I’ll see you later, Miss Lorica.”

I slipped out of the office quietly, making my way to the elevators at an easy pace.

I stepped into the elevator and waited for the machine to descend, only to hear my phone chime it’s standard tune from my pocket. I pulled it free, hitting the answer button and putting it to my ear.

“Hello, Soo-Min speaking.” I answered politely.

“ _ Hey Soo, it’s Noct. _ ” came the deep tones that I was only just beginning to associate with my childhood friend.

“Hey, how’s it going?” I straightened up as I spoke, happy to hear his voice over the line.

“ _ Not too bad, just missing you is all really _ .” He admitted freely, and I could hear the smile in his tone. 

“Careful, you’re starting to sound like you think of me as something other than a friend.” I teased lightly, getting an awkward laugh in response before continuing, “I’m sorry I couldn’t hang today, I had a pre-scheduled meeting with my lawyers.”

“ _ Nah, it’s cool. How did that go, by the way _ ?” Noctis questioned, his voice at ease once again as we continued to talk.

“Well my immigration lawyer managed to get my dual citizenship reissued to me, so now I’m no longer a refugee.” I told him, stepping to the side as people came and went from the elevator as it stopped at another floor.

“ _ That’s great. And social services _ ?” he continued, genuinely interested in what was happening in my life.

“A little less good news. They managed to track down my father’s family but they’re really hesitant to place me with them since they disowned my father for marrying my mother. So they’re going through the family records to try and find out who was named heir, and see if they’ll be a good fit.” I admitted, lowering my voice to avoid attracting attention to myself.

“ _ Well any news is good news, or so Ignis tells me _ .” 

I snort in amusement, stepping out of the elevator and exiting the building.

“So, I have no obligations lined up after training tomorrow. I could meet up with you and Prompto after you guys get out of school?” I say, looking for the citadel car parked along the curb.

“ _ Sounds great, we could go to the arcade for a bit and then maybe hit up the Crow’s Nest after _ ?” Noctis replied as I hurried over to the black car.

“Sure, sounds fine to me. Where should I meet you guys?” I asked while I opened the door and sat in the backseat, nodding to the driver before he started the car.

“ _ Outside the school gates I guess. I’ll text you the address later. See you then _ ?” Noctis said with a small yawn.

“Yep, sounds good. I’ll talk to you later.” I confirmed, waiting for the younger boy to hang up before turning off my phone and dropping it into my pocket as the car sped back to the citadel for the evening.


	2. Fake Love

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Fake Love (Lo-Fi Version) - BTS

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys, it's been about a month now so I figured I'd give my monthly update now instead of next Friday. I'll try from now on to stick to monthly friday updates from now on, especially between my job and school. I don't really have much to say about this chapter cuz it was written back in July along with chapter 1 and a bunch of other things. Now I did address this in a PM and did end up going back to chapter 1 and fixing things that were noted to be a little off character-wise/story-wise, but I'll also address it here for anyone else who has concerns.  
> I know some of y'all are excited af for the Soo/Noct romance to kick off, but I'm dealing with the complex emotions of teenagers trying to navigate their feelings, such as Noct's romantic interest in Luna and how I'm making that into my own interpretation of their relationship/how he views her, and how Soo is very unaware of the potential of a relationship between herself and others in general. Basically, I'm making relationships all mucked up and complicated cuz that's what being a teen is all about lol.  
> If you guys have any issues or constructive criticism at anytime, please don't hesitate to leave a review or even PM me if it's really important. I want to hear your feedback and commentary on what I'm putting out.

I stood nervously outside the school gates, fidgeting slightly in my sundress that I had changed into after training. Students were flooding out of the gates, some throwing me odd looks as they walked past. I lifted my chin in defiance at some of the nastier looks some of the teens threw at me but for the most part I was ignored.

A distant call of my nickname had me turning to the gates, along with most the student body, seeing Noctis waving to me as he walked over with the blonde-haired Prompto in tow. I smiled brightly at the pair, looking up at them as they stopped in front of me.

"Hey boys, how was the exam?" I asked, trying to get a read on both their faces.

"It was alright. If we fail, we fail." Noctis replied, shrugging his shoulders in a 'what-can-you-do' type of manner while Prompto rolled his eyes.

"Not all of us can just brush off bad grades like you can, buddy. Some of us need them looking good for post-secondary applications."

"Prompto's right, Noct."

The blonde threw me a smile in thanks for agreeing with him, Noctis sighing as he dropped an arm around my shoulders and pulled me close.

"You're my best friend, I thought you were supposed to always be on my side."

"Not when it comes to failing to get your high school diploma, mister." I teased, giving Prompto a wicked look before continuing, "Maybe if you make honour roll, I'll give you a kiss as a reward."

The younger boy turned as red as a tomato, spluttering for a second before shoving me in response as Prompto and I laughed at him while walking down through the center of downtown commercial Insomnia.

The pair led me through the streets to one of their favourite arcades, Noct's blush having finally disappeared as we entered the low-lit area.

"So, Soo. What's it like being in Insomnia after living in Goryeo for your entire life?" Prompto asked, setting his school bag down at a game machine before digging in his pocket for game tokens.

"Well I was actually born and raised here for about nine years before my mother moved us to Goryeo. So some parts of the city are familiar, especially the citadel, and the apartments and businesses in that area." I told him, leaning into Noctis' side to see the screen better, "But coming back to the onslaught of technology was the real culture shock for me. I feel ancient sometimes cuz I don't know how to work certain apps or something."

"Well I'm sure Noct will be able to help you out a bit over summer break, won't you buddy?" the blonde assured me, shooting me a smile as he shot at the monsters on screen.

The young prince blinked owlishly at his friend before looking down at me.

"Uh, yeah. Sure thing."

I smiled brightly in response before turning back to watch Prompto's game.

Noctis and his friend circulated through the games at a slow pace, insisting that I try a round at one point. My game was much more short lived than theirs, but it wasn't as disastrous as I thought it would be.

"So Prompto, what plans do you have for after high school? I've seen some of your photography work and you've got a real knack for it." I questioned as Noct started up a game on a different console.

"I'm not entirely sure to be completely honest. It would be nice to do photography but unless your in really high demand, it's a really tough business. I'm trying to figure something out." the blonde admitted, shrugging at me as he turned his attention away from the prince.

"Fair enough but you could still minor in it or keep it on as a hobby to formalize later on. Do you do anything else besides photography?" I suggested, curious to know more about my best friend's new best friend.

"I was on the track team all throughout high school, so I'm a decent runner." Prompto admitted bashfully, rubbing the back of his neck as we watched Noctis play his round.

"Decent? Don't sell yourself short, man, you won the four hundred metre dash three years in a row and were nominated for team captain this year." the black-haired boy said absentmindedly, his gaze not moving an inch from the screen.

My eyebrows rose slightly in surprise, taking in the stature of the boy beside me. He certainly had the build of a runner under the uniform.

"Impressive. Did you run when you were younger?"

Prompto bit his lip slightly, his face scrunching in minor discomfort, "Uh no, I picked it up in middle school cuz I wanted to be healthier and lose weight."

I nodded lightly in understanding, recognizing that it was a touchy subject and choosing to move on for the boy's comfort.

I watched the two of them play a few rounds of an unfamiliar shooting game involving zombie monsters before we migrated out of the arcade and went in search of a Crow's Nest Diner. We finally located one off of a side street, drawn in by the smell of deep fried chips and greasy burgers and fish fillets.

My stomach rolled a bit at the smell of all the grease, still not quite use to the processed foods of the city after years of living off of traditional Goryean dishes. I only ordered a water and a small plate of chips while the boys got their full meals.

I watched in amusement as Noctis picked all the vegetables off his burger, laughing at his expression of disgust.

"Still can't stand the veggies?" I questioned humorously, poking him in the side with my fork.

The prince frowned at me, but his blue eyes were sparkling with mirth.

"No, they're gross." he replied, earning a snort from both Prompto and I before we continued to eat and quietly make conversation.

I had already finished my food and was sipping at my water as I watched Noctis and Prompto go back and forth about random topics before the prince's phone began ringing like crazy.

The dark haired teen sighed heavily as he gazed at the caller ID, reluctantly answering it.

"Yeah?" he said quietly, as if expecting to be yelled at by whoever was on the other end of the line.

The silence stretched on as the caller talked to Noct, the boy leaning an elbow on the table as he stared at me in disappointment.

"I told you I was gonna be late. I'm out with some friends since exams are almost done." he finally said, his tone almost pleading.

There was a beat of silence before Noctis sighed, his sapphire blue eyes dropping shut in annoyance.

"Fine, I'll head over now." he replied before hanging up and dropping his phone into his bag. "Guess that's it for us hanging out guys. Sorry."

"Hey don't worry about it. I should get going anyways, I have the Kingsglaive admittance ceremony tomorrow and I need to rest up for that." I assured the prince, resting a hand on his shoulder.

"Yeah, I should probably get home and study. Can't fail the math exam." Prompto added jokingly, trying to lighten the mood.

Noctis nodded gently and slid out of the booth, helping me out along the way before giving me a small hug that I returned with a fierceness.

"I'll let you know how tomorrow goes, okay?" I told my friend, looking up at him.

The dark haired teen nodded lightly, his bangs swinging gently around his face. I smiled at him before stepping away to give a smile and wave to Prompto as he followed Noctis out of the diner.

* * *

I walked through the citadel nervously, surrounded by the recruits I had been training with over the past couple of months. I could see some of the other recruitment units in front of us, mostly comprised of Galahdians but I spotted the occasional Goryean every once in awhile.

I wasn't sure why I was nervous exactly since I already had full access to the magic of the crystal. It's not like I could fail at something I had already passed.

I smoothed down the front of my summer dress, having chosen one of my nicer dark sun dresses paired with a light cardigan for the occasion. I had my hair pinned up partially, secured with the hairpin Orion had given me many months ago, along with the necklace and bracelet Luna had given me on both my departure from Tenebrae and on my wedding day. I finished the look off with a pair of black flats and minimal makeup, not wanting to draw more attention than was absolutely necessary once we moved on to the portion of the ceremony to see if the magic took to us individually.

Once we were organized in the throne room according to our training units, the ceremony went off without a delay. King Regis stood in front of his throne to address us all.

"Welcome, it is good to see so many hopeful and determined faces among the potential Glaives today. As many of you know, becoming a member of the Kingsglaive is not easy. Not only does the magic of the Lucii have to take to the designated host, but then it must be mastered with the skill and discipline normally associated with the Caelum line." the king announced, looking various recruits in the eyes before continuing.

"I will not lie to you; it is most likely only half of you will take to the magic I am about to bestow upon you, and then only half of those will be able to master their magic well enough to be considered combat ready. It will be a hard road that only gets harder as you are asked to leave your families for excursions beyond the wall to reclaim lost territories. There is no shame in choosing to stop training now." Regis paused, green eyes flicking over the crowd for a moment, allowing anyone who wished to leave to have the opportunity before the ceremony continued.

When nobody moved from the ranks, the king nodded solemnly before continuing on with the ceremony.

"Then by the will of the Lucii, the crystal, and the power granted to the Lucis Caelum line by the Gods, I share with you all the gifts of my line for as long as I draw breath. May the crystal hear this wish and grant us it in our time of need."

A bright wave of blue and purple light radiated outward from the king, bleeding out over the ranks of Kingsglaive trainees and settling into their skin. I could feel the king's magic tingling against my skin, merging and being overtaken by the power already granted to me.

I shivered lightly at the strength that filled me, squaring my shoulders as people began moving as they were called forward to display whether or not the magic had settled in them. As I waited for my own name to be called, I dug deep within myself to find that spark of magic I had only poked at once before. I could feel my hands heat up with the tell tale signs of either lightning or fire, clenching my fists tightly to mentally keep the magic in my grasp.

I took deep calming breaths as the man before me in the line barely passed with the tiny spark of lightning he conjured. While the throne room had remained relatively silent throughout the ceremony, it only felt more deafening once my name was called.

I stepped out of the ranks and approached the foot of the stairs leading up to the throne and the king. I felt so small as all the council members and ranks of trainees stared down at me expectantly. But the king's expectant green gaze gave me the courage to tilt my chin up slightly and extend my hand out towards Regis, unleashing the magic that had been bubbling under the surface of my skin.

Flames burst forward out of my hand, not content to just dance within my palm but rather to engulf my hand completely in it's warmth. I could hear a few of the older members in the Glaive murmur and preparing to intervene so I wouldn't melt the skin off my bones, but I just stared up at the king before closing my fist and letting the magic dissipate as it fell to my side.

I waited for my dismissal back to the ranks and quietly slipped back into place as the ceremony continued on, pleased that I had passed this test.

* * *

Those of us who passed the test were told to report to the Kingsglaive headquarters at seven the next morning, where we would continue on with our combat training and start on using our magic practically. We were also informed that we'd receive our uniforms in a few weeks once we were assessed and had our designation assigned to us.

I mingled for a bit among those who had also passed before taking off to my small apartment located in the guest wing of the citadel.

I pulled out my cell phone, calling one of the four contacts I had in the device. It only ringed twice before Noctis picked up, sound bored as all hell.

" _Yeah_?"

"Hey Noct, I got in!" I told him excitedly, unlocking my door and stepping into my apartment.

" _Hey Soo, that's great_!" the prince answered, his tone seeming a little disappointed and lackluster over my good news.

I frowned lightly, toeing off my shoes before moving further into my temporary home.

"Your tone kinda suggests otherwise." I accuse slightly, sitting down on the couch.

" _No, I'm happy for you and all. It just sucks that you won't be able to be a part of my crownsguard when I get around to doing that next year, ya know_?" he admitted reluctantly, like I was pulling his deepest, darkest secrets from him or something.

"Well maybe it's a good thing that I'm not under you. I'm sure our friendship would put a strain on the professional aspect of the job." I told him evenly, trying to move on from the subject.

" _Yeah, I guess_." Noctis paused, the sound of papers being shuffled carrying over the line, " _Listen Soo, I gotta get back to studying or Iggy's gonna kill me. Talk to you later_?"

"Yeah, no problem. Sorry for interrupting to begin with. Talk to you later." I say, pulling the phone away from my ear and looking down at it when the sound of the line being disconnected hits me.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As always please bookmark/subscribe/comment on your way out! Thanks for reading!


	3. Before I Leave This World

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Holy crap, it's been forever and a day since i updated. Between work and school, i've been really busy and only just thought about this fic recently cuz i wasn't sure if i had updated this month or not lol. since this being posted, i clearly did not. but yeah, updates will hopefully continue to be monthly, on the second or fourth weekend of the month, but i was bitten by the plot bug recently and some of my pre-written chapters may be scrapped cuz my brain likes the new idea better than the old plans lol. but i'm hoping that these changes will evoke the same level of drama as what i had planned before.

The few weeks following the induction ceremony were grueling, with the officers driving us new glaives into the ground with training. I was eventually placed with the mages to work long-range since I wasn’t the best when it came to wielding a blade in close quarters. Crowe and the other long-range mages were pretty welcoming, offering tips on how to keep a spell from backfiring on you and how to use a minor lightning spell like a baby taser.

I was easing my way into my new routine gradually, trying to keep in touch with Noctis through text and calling, but it was proving to be difficult. My hours at headquarters often left me completely exhausted and with barely enough energy to make myself some dinner, not to mention try to hunt down Noctis for a chat.

Despite all my hang ups about the job, I had to push it from my mind for the day since the captain was bringing in some of the Crownsguard for some battle exercises. He expected us to have our full attention on the fights today, watching how our comrades moved and how they responded to the different styles of the guard. And perhaps some of us would get a chance to get in a round with some of the more experienced glaives’ matches.

I sat quietly on one of the stone ledges of the training ground, watching Pelna get his ass handed to him by one of the guard, while Crowe is cackling as she warps around her opponent in circles, sending shocks at him every now and then. Tredd was also eating shit across the field, causing me to snort as he was practically thrown across the training grounds.

“Hey kid, Drautos wants you in on the round with Nyx and Axis. Says it’ll be good for you to learn to think on your feet.” Libertus says from the doorway at the top of the stairs.

“Alright. I’ll be right down, Libertus.” I replied, watching Tredd get thrown to the ground at sword point.

I smile as Crowe finally quits messing around and full on warp-tackles her opponent to the ground, her knife pressed against his neck. I pulled myself away from the edge of the building, shrugging my jacket back on and buttoning the front as I followed Libertus down to the ground floor.

I wove my way through the mixed crowd of crownsguard and kingsglaive, finding my way to Nyx and Axis, and wriggling into the space beside them. My movements caught the eye of Nyx, the older man peering down at me with an eyebrow raised.

“You in our round?” he questioned, turning back to the training yard.

“Yep, captain’s orders.” I said, nodding gently.

“Alright. Word of advice: if the hits get too heavy, just warp for as long as you can and don’t let go of your knife.” he told me, watching the last of the fights begin to wrap up.

“Got it.” I replied.

Nyx nodded before turning to see Pelna get knocked into the dust and finally yield.

We watched the group climb out of the training yard and waited for the cue to move onto the field. My nerves were on fire as I watched the crownsguard swap out, analyzing the group that came out onto the field.

I followed Nyx out, staring at the space between his shoulder blades as we made our way out to meet our opponents. I blanched slightly once I saw the size of my opponent; the woman was built like a tank and I was only five foot three.

I pulled out my knives, and crouched down as we waited for the signal to begin, trying to make myself as small as possible. I watched my opponent pull her short-sword out of the ether in a flash of blue, wielding it like it was an extension of her body.

The signal was given, and she charged forward, blade raised high to strike. I lifted my knives up to deflect her sword, charging them with a minor thunder spell to give her a shock.

The woman grunted as the spell traveled through her body, causing her to pull away to break the current. I quickly threw one of my knives to warp away to a safe distance, my adrenaline soaring sky high as I darted around the arena to avoid my opponent.

I warped back in front of the guard member, trying to deflect her blows as best I could with my knives and small shield spells. It wasn’t long until I lost one of my knives in the fight, the woman sending it flying across the field. The move put me on the defensive indefinitely, making me rely on my magic and single blade to continue warping away.

When the guard came in with a wide sweep of her blade and managed to knock away my remaining knife, I could hear the whoops of some of the crownsguard and my stomach dropped as I could see the end of the fight quickly approaching.

I threw a heavy thunder spell towards her, causing her to use the flat of her blade as a makeshift shield. I kept up the spell as my mind raced to find a way out, my opponent fighting against the spell and closing the distance between us.

I looked around quickly, not wanting to take my eyes off her for too long, spotting a long pipe in a pile of rubble not too far off. I had my replacement weapon, now I just had to get to it. A plan quickly unfurled in my mind, prompting me to amp up my spell as one hand reached up and pulled one of my large hair pins free. I threw it across the arena, using it as the focus for my warp as I suddenly ended my spell.

Reappearing halfway across the field, I abandoned my pin and grabbed the pipe, bringing it up above my head to deflect the crownsguard’s blade. My braid thumped heavily against my back as I continued to block her attacks, occasionally using the pipe as a spear to try and get a hit in.

This continued for what felt like hours, before we found ourselves on the ground, weapons pointed at each other’s vital points. I could hear the captain calling for the match to finish, the crownsguard pulling away slowly, as if waiting for me to attack again.

I tossed the pipe to the side before rolling onto my knees and pushing myself upright. I collected my knives from around the arena and slid them back into their sheathes. As I walked off the grounds and back towards the other glaives, I was able to take in some of the shocked expressions of my comrades.

Crowe rushed up to me, checking me over while going on about the power behind my last thunder spell.

“I haven’t seen that strong of a spell from anyone besides the King! Where were you hiding that all this time?” the brunette asked, her big brown eyes staring down at me.

I just shrugged in response, moving through the hall, “I don’t know, I just didn’t want to lose.”

“So you kept going out of sheer spite? That’s something I haven’t heard before.” came a deep voice from my left, causing me to whip my head around in surprise.

The man leaning against the collum to my left was the size of a goddamn bodybuilder but judging by the minimal facial hair, couldn’t be much older than me. Glancing over his standard issue crownsguard training attire, I met his honey brown gaze and straightened my shoulders.

“You’d be surprised with what a person can do if they’re spiteful enough.” I said cautiously, not too sure what he wanted out of this conversation.

“Fair enough. That move you pulled with the hair pin was impressive though; I don’t think even the prince could warp was a focus point that small. It was quick thinking, especially with the pipe.” he complimented, staring down at me in interest.

“Thank you.” I replied, dusting my hands off.

“But your close quarters fighting could use some work, the only reason you held onto those knives for as long as you did was because of your spells.” the man continued, his tone honest in his observations.

“And you’re bumming me out again.” I grumbled, drawing a deep-throated chuckle from him that sent a shiver down my spine.

“I’m not saying you’re terrible, it’s just you wielded the pipe was the same ease as a spear while it seemed like the knives were awkward in your hands.” he assured me with a grin, shifting his weight away from the column and stepping closer to Crowe and I.

The brown-eyed mage remained silent, letting me handle the situation all on my own.

“I work with the long-range mages usually, so close combat isn’t my specialty.” I explain, preferring that explanation over the fact that I was a rookie who could only use her knives to warp away from a conflict.

“And the whole thing with the pipe?” he asked, raising a brow at me.

“I just used it in the heat of the moment to keep her from slicing me in half.” I answered honestly, shrugging my shoulders.

“Well, it was a decent idea. You definitely would have talent with a spear if you wanted to try it.”

“Why, you offering me lessons, big guy?” I teased, finally relaxing as the conversation moved away from my choices during the mock-battle.

“Why not? You’re not gonna get the training for it with the Glaive and you got a knack for it.” he admitted, shrugging before crossing his arms over his massive chest.

“Fine. When do you wanna start?” I replied, shifting my weight from one foot to the other.

“How about I get your number and we figure it out over time.” he suggested, pulling his phone free from his pants pocket.

“Sure. Give it here, my phone’s in my locker so just lemme know it’s you…?” I say, taking the phone from him and punching my number in as a new contact.

“Gladio.” he answered, finally putting a name to his face.

“Soo-Min.” I offered back, saving my information before handing the phone back, “There, just shoot me a text and we’ll talk about it later.”

Gladio nodded slightly, “Sure, I’m looking forward to working with you.”

“Yeah.” I replied, nodding in farewell before heading back to the locker room with Crowe.

The other mage and I traveled to our lockers and grabbed our spare clothes in silence before hitting the showers.

I was washing my hair free of dust and dirt when Crowe’s voice carried over the cubicle divider.

“You better watch out with that guy, kid. He’s known for going through girls like crazy, and it wouldn’t be good to be hung up on someone who isn’t looking for the same thing as you.” the brunette advised me.

“Don’t worry Crowe, he’s not really my type.” I promised, rinsing the sudds from my long black hair.

“You’re not the only one who’s said that and still had their heart broken by him. And if that happens to you, I’ll have to break his head.”

“Thanks, Crowe. But I prefer pretty people over body builders.” I said with a chuckle.

I turned off the water and wrap myself up in my towel drying my body off before wrapping my hair. I pulled on my underwear and slipped on my sundress.

Stepping out of the shower cubical, I carried my uniform over to my locker and hung it up inside to air out slightly before I left. I unwrapped my towel from my head and begun to dry my hair with it, pulling my phone out to see if I had any messages that I missed during the training session.

Smiling at the selfies that Noctis had sent of himself and Prompto, and the one text from Gladio, I moved out of the messager app to check my voicemail.  
Putting the phone up to my ear, I listened to the new message that had been left about an hour ago.

_“Hi Soo-Min. It’s Miss Lorica calling. We managed to track down your grandfather’s current heir, Alexius Farron. He seems like a stable member of society, no criminal record and no known history of any prejudice, racial or otherwise, and we contacted him to see if he would be interested in meeting with us to consider taking over your guardianship. If you could just give me a call back whenever you can so we can set up the meeting, that would be great.”_

The message ended, prompting me to set my phone down so I could finish getting ready to leave and call my lawyer back.

I hurriedly combed out my hair, pulling it into a ponytail before pulling on my flats and cardigan. I tossed the towel in the hamper and walked back to my locker, folding my uniform and putting it in my bag, calling my lawyer back before leaving the locker room.

“Hi, Miss Lorica? It’s Soo-Min calling back.”

_“Hi Dear, I take it you got my message.”_

“I did. I was wondering if it would be possible to meet with Alexius today at your office since I’m free for the rest of the afternoon.”

_“We can certainly try. I’ll have my secretary try and get ahold of him while you head on over.”_

“Thank you, Miss Lorica.”

_“It’s no trouble, dear. This is my job.”_

“Alright, I’ll see you soon.”

_“Bye dear.”_

I drop my phone back into my bag, leaving the headquarters quickly and looking for the car.

* * *

 

Walking through the desks, I made my way nervously to my lawyer’s office, spotting two male figures sitting with Miss Lorica.

I knocked gently on the frame, stepping into the room as all heads turned to me.

“Oh, Soo-Min, come in. This is your father’s cousin, Alexius, and his civil partner, Felix. Gentlemen, this is Aetius and Myung-Hee’s daughter, Soo-Min. I’ll leave you to get acquainted.” Miss Lorica said ushering me over to a chair before leaving the office and shutting the door behind her.

“Even though you’re adopted, it’s crazy how much you look like Aetius and Myung-Hee.” Alexius said, staring at me from his seat on the small couch, “You can just call me Alex by the way.”

“You can just call me Soo then. It’s great to meet you both. I thought I was gonna be a ward of the Crown forever because of grandfather’s prejudice or something.” I replied, trying to lighten the mood.

“Well, thankfully the old man wasn’t bad enough to disown me over my choice in life partner like he was with your father.” Alex joked back, hazel eyes sparkling in interest.

Felix rolled his eyes, looking at the other man with a small indulgent smirk, “Please, we both know he would strike you off the will if my family wasn’t as wealthy as they are. He still gets his digs in when he can.”

I chuckled lightly along with Alex, watching the two men clasp each other’s hands tightly on top of Felix’s thigh.

“Well at least we all have something in common―disappointing grandfather over something that’s beyond our control.” I add with a grin, smoothing down the front of my dress.

“Oh, I like her.” Felix said, brown eyes moving between Alex and I.

My father’s cousin chuckled at his partner’s amusement.

“So, if I have this right, you’re hoping we’ll be open to becoming your guardians over the next couple of months. What are your plans for after you turn eighteen?” Alex asked me, crossing one leg over the other.

“Well, I do have a stable position with the Kingsglaive at the moment and will be getting my official assignment soon, so depending on that, I may move out for convenience if I’m put on rotation for deployment after my birthday. If I’m kept within the city for a different posting, I might stay.” I replied honestly, looking between the two men.

“Sounds reasonable.” Felix murmured, glancing over at his partner and meeting his gaze evenly.

The pair remained silent for a moment, appearing to be having a private conversation through their eyes before Alex looked back at me.

“We want you to know that this is a two way street, Soo. As Felix and I are unable to have children of our own together, for obvious reasons, we would like to name you our heir by default. Once we pass, you would inherit our titles and holdings in both Insomnia and Altissa. Is this alright with you?” Alex asked, all the pieces laid down before me.

I blinked wildly at the question, stunned for a heartbeat before looking at both of them.

“Wait, you’re okay with taking in a practically full grown adult and you want to make me your heir? You’re serious.” I said, looking between them like they were crazy.

“As serious as can be.” Felix answered, a smile growing on his face.

I looked back and forth between the couple, biting my lip as I waited for the catch. When it became apparent that there wasn’t one, I took a deep, calming breath before speaking.

“Alright. I guess we’re a family now.”


	4. In the Name of Life

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys, I had planned on putting this out this weekend, it was 100% on my radar until I got buried in school work lol. but thankfully i remembered after hopping on tumblr today. we're very quickly getting to the end of my prewritten chapters so once school manages to slow down, i'll try my best to start building up the collection of prewritten stuff.
> 
> I would really appreciate if you guys took the time to leave a comment with what you guys think so far. Is it getting boring with the whole slice of life stuff? Should I jump ahead in the timeline to more exciting bits or are people content with the slow pace? I value all opinions so let me know in the comment section.

I moved in with Alex and Felix a few days after our initial meeting and signing of the legal documents. I was able to enjoy the strange mix of family life and comradery in my new home as I waited for my posting to be given.

In order to keep up my skills, I usually sought Crowe out for some tips and private lessons in magic when she wasn't out in the field on a mission. I had only had a few lessons with Gladio in regards to pole arms, as his schedule with the Crownsguard was much more busy than mine at that moment.

Crowe was playing with a small flame as we sat on a ledge in the training centre, looking at the fire absentmindedly as I threw a spark back and forth between my palms.

"You know that Amicitia has been asking around the Glaive for info on you. Apparently you don't talk enough about yourself during your private lessons." the brunette mentioned quietly, keeping her tone level so to not distract the glaives training in the field.

I raised a brow at my friend, receiving a pointed look in response. I sighed heavily before looking away.

"I'm following your advice. I'm not telling him anything so he doesn't think I'm interested. Plus I don't need another person needing to know how screwed up I am after Goryeo." I replied, growing the spark to a larger size.

"You're not screwed up. A little damaged, sure, but you're healing and getting help." Crowe assured me turning her attention away from her flame to look at me again, "But you need to be careful with him, the guy likes the chase."

"Yeah, I get ya." I promise, letting the spell shrink down again.

"I don't care if you choose to sleep with him or not, just don't form an attachment. He's a heart-breaker." She continued, extinguishing her flame and laying down on her back along the ledge.

"Speaking from experience, Altus?" I tease lightly, trying to turn the subject of conversation away from me.

"Nah, people just talk. You're not the first Glaive he's gone after on a joint training day." the brunette replied absently, closing her eyes.

"I'll keep that in mind." I say, looking out across the field to the glaive that are practicing their warping and simultaneously losing their lunches.

I drop my spell as my phone vibrates in my pocket, pulling it out to answer.

"Hi, Soo-Min speaking." I greet politely, having not looked at the caller ID before answering.

"Hey, Soo, it's Noct." came the familiar tone, putting a smile on my face.

"Hey, what's up?" I asked, pulling my legs up over the ledge and crossing them.

"Nothing much, just looking over some notes from some of the council meetings and was wondering if you wanted to hang out while I finished them up. I feel like I haven't seen you in forever." Noctis replied, the sounds of papers being flipped and shuffled filling the background of the line.

"Careful, or I'll think you've been pining after me these last couple of weeks." I joke easily, happy to be hearing from him.

"Not my fault you've been so busy between moving and the Glaive. I thought we'd catch up and cook something Goryean for dinner." he said, brushing off the teasing without a hint of embarrassment for once.

I smile brightly even though he can't see it.

"Sounds great, I'll grab some groceries on the way over. I'll let you know when I'm on my way."

"Okay, see you in a bit." Noctis replies, papers shuffling quietly over the line.

"Bye." I hang up quickly, pulling myself up from my seat on the ledge and ignoring Crowe's judgmental brown eyes.

"Who was that?" she asked, her tone sounding rather accusing.

"A friend." I answered vaguely, watching her brows rise in curiosity.

"A friend?"

I sighed loudly, answering quickly.

"A friend who isn't interested in sleeping with me, there. Happy?"

The brunette smiled at me before closing her eyes again, "For now. See you tomorrow, kid. Don't forget that your assignment's coming out in the morning, so you don't wanna be late."

"Yeah, I got it. See ya tomorrow." I replied, walking away and heading for the main exit.

I step out onto the street and try to hail a cab, the task taking a few moments before one stops for me.

Climbing in the back, I direct the driver to a local grocer to get the ingredients needed for the dish I have in mind. The combination of funds from both my job as a Glaive and my allocated spending money from Alex and Felix is most definitely enough to cover the expenses for the groceries.

I hurry back to the cab and give directions to Noctis' apartment complex, paying the cabbie the owed amount once we arrived. I messaged Noct as I entered the lobby, waiting for him to give me his floor and apartment number as I stepped into the elevator.

I pressed the button for the top floor, leaning against the wall as the elevator ascended upwards. I exited the elevator quietly and walked down the hall towards the apartment.

Knocking on the front door, I heard the prince yell, "It's open!" before I entered the apartment.

I slipped my shoes off in the entrance area, putting on the guest slippers before continuing further into the apartment.

I could see Noctis sitting on the large sofa in the living room, reading a packet of papers with an expression of boredom on his face.

"Hey, Soo. I'll be over in a second, I just gotta finish this batch." the dark-haired boy said in greeting, waving at me as he continued to read.

"No worries, take your time. I'm just gonna get started on the food." I assured him, setting the groceries down on the kitchen counter and beginning to unpack.

I started searching around for the right pots and pans needed, turning on the stove before turning to chop up some vegetables.

I dumped the vegetables in a pan with oil, letting them cook while I boiled the dumplings in a pot. I pulled a mixing bowl out and began making the sweet sauce as Noctis made his way over to the kitchen.

"What'cha making?" the prince asked, stretching slightly before leaning against the counter.

"Beef dumplings with sweet sauce, veggies and rice. Can you put some rice in the cooker for me?" I told him, gesturing over to little machine in the corner. Noctis made a face at the mention of the vegetables but still did what I asked.

"Sure."

"Thanks." I replied, adding the sauce and finished dumplings to the pan of vegetables.

"So, how's your summer been so far. I bet it feels great to be out of school for now." I asked, stirring the pan to make sure the food didn't burn.

"It's alright. Iggy's been working me to the bone over those council reports and other things. Says I need to take on more responsibilities." The prince admitted, standing next to me at the stove.

"But he has backed off since you guys had that fight, right?" I questioned, looking up at him for a moment.

"Yeah, a bit." Noctis said, staring at the floor before moving his gaze to meet mine.

"That's good." I say quietly, continuing to stir the food before nudging him with my elbow, "Go load the rice up onto some plates and bring them here. The food's pretty much done."

The younger boy nodded quietly before retrieving the plates and rice, setting them on the counter for me to dish out the dumplings, veggies and sauce while he grabbed cutlery for us.

Turning off the stove and moving the empty pan to a cool element, I handed Noct his plate and accepted the fork from him. We both migrated towards the couch, sitting in front of the coffee table as the dark-haired teen turned the tv on to a news channel for some background noise.

"So how the adoption process going?" Noctis asked, shoving a dumpling into his mouth eagerly.

"Everything was finalized a few days ago, so I'm officially no longer a ward of the Crown." I say excitedly, spearing a water chestnut with my fork, "Alex and Felix are really nice too. I feel like they're just happy to have someone that they can leave everything to when they pass since they don't have their own children."

"I'm happy for you. How do they feel about you being in the Glaive?" He questioned, moving a vegetable to the edge of his plate in minor disgust.

"They weren't too worried since they know I can't be in the Crownsguard but still wanna help others. I guess it's kinda easy right now since I don't have a posting yet, so it's not like I'm in any danger of dying at the moment." I replied with a shrug, biting into a sauce-covered dumpling eagerly.

"I guess. And you get your posting tomorrow?"

I nod quickly, swallowing my food.

"Yep. In the morning." I wiped my mouth clean with a napkin before continuing, "How did your exams turn out?"

The younger boy shrugged slightly, "They went alright. I made honour roll, much to Ignis' relief. Same with Prompto."

I smiled wickedly, remembering my joke/promise if he managed to make honour roll this year. Setting my fork down gently, I watched the prince eat for a moment before quickly giving him a kiss on the cheek.

I watched Noctis as he whiped his head around fast enough to give him whiplash, his face quickly turning a bright shade of red as he spluttered at me in confusion and embarrassment.

"What was that for?!" the dark-haired boy yelled, slapping a hand over his cheek in shock.

"I promised that I'd give you a kiss if you made honour roll, and I keep my promises." I said primly, continuing to eat my food as the prince stared at me open mouthed.

"I didn't think you were serious!" Noctis continued to yell, his blush deepening.

I laughed at his exasperated tone, falling to the side as Noctis shoved me over roughly. I continued to laugh from my sideways position on the couch as the prince pouted quietly.

"Don't worry, I got my cooties shot so you won't get infected." I teased, pushing myself back up into a sitting position.

I slowly calmed down from my laughing fit, opting to finish my dinner instead of teasing him further. I quietly stole the veggies from his plate as Noctis swiped a beef dumpling, watching the news absentmindedly.

I picked up my plate from the coffee table and headed back to the sink, intending to wash the dishes and pack up the leftovers for Noctis.

I scooped up the remaining food out of the pan and dumped it into a plastic container, moving it to the fridge before filling up the sink with soap, and hot water. I dropped the pot, pan and cooking utensils into the sink, starting to scrub at them with a sponge.

Noctis wandered over with his own plate, setting beside the sink as he stood beside me.

"Have you heard from Luna recently?" I asked quietly, assuming the Oracle was a safe topic of conversation.

"Uh yeah. She was really worried about you when she heard about the invasion. Her brother ended up marrying one of the princesses as a diversion for the empire apparently." Noctis answered, taking a pan from me and drying it with the tea towel.

I nodded stiffly in confirmation, "He did but Ravus didn't know about the invasion. He was clueless about it all as the council was."

"Really?" the prince questioned, raising a dark brow in disbelief.

"Yeah, I was there when they executed the council and noble families. He was as shocked as the rest of us. Nobody expected the wedding to end in blood, not even Ravus." I said, pulling the stopper free from the drain once I had finished with the dishes.

"I'm sorry…." Noctis murmured, taking my hand gently.

I give a broken smile in return, moving closer to tuck myself into his side comfortably.

"It's okay, I'm healing. It's slow, but I'm healing from it." I whispered quietly, enjoying how his arms wrapped around me.

* * *

 

I woke up the next morning to the buzzing of my phone's alarm, my eyes opening slowly as the sun shone into my room.

Only it wasn't room and I certainly wasn't alone. I pushed myself up in a rush, staring down at Noctis' sleeping face in shock before tumbling off the couch.

Noctis groaned loudly, pushing himself up into a sitting position as he rubbed at his eyes.

"What time is it?" he grumbled, yawning at the end of his question.

"Late! I'm gonna be late! I wasn't supposed to stay overnight! Shit!" I muttered in a panic, pulling my hair free of it's ponytail.

My panic seemed to knock some sense into Noctis, the prince grabbing his phone and dialing a number. Putting the phone up to his ear, he yawned again before muttering a few words and hanging up, dropping back down onto his back.

"A Crown provided car will be here in a few minutes to take you to the Glaive headquarters."

"Thanks Noct, you're a goddamn saint."

I rushed off to the bathroom, trying to tame my hair with my fingers and tie it up. I washed my face quickly before swiping some of the teen's mouthwash. I darted back down the hall, collecting my bag and phone from the kitchen before yelling from the front door.

"See you later, Noct!" I only got a groan in response before I was out the door and fleeing down the hallway to the elevator.

Just as he promised, a Crown provided car was waiting for me outside the apartment complex. I slipped into the backseat, allowing the driver to take off without any instruction.

The drive was quick, only lasting about fifteen minutes once we stopped outside the glaive headquarters. I thanked the driver as I hopped out of the back, rushing up the stairs and through the building to the locker room.

I burst into the room with minutes to spare, hurrying over to my locker and throwing my belongings into it.

I began changing quickly, swapping out my sundress and cardigan for my uniform. As I changed, I could see some of the older glaive giving me looks as I wiggled into my shirt.

"Hey Han, did you forget assignment day was happening this morning in your celebrating last night?" one of the guys from my trainee unit called out, making me roll my eyes as I ignored him in favour of strapping on my boots.

The call caught Crowe's attention though, the older mage walking over and pulling my jacket out of my locker for me.

"I thought you said that it was a friend who didn't want you sleep with you." the brunette said, handing me my jacket once I stood up.

"I didn't sleep with him. We were just up late talking at his place and I accidentally passed out at his place." I assured her, doing up the buttons at the front.

"Sure you did." came the voice of one of the asshole recruits in my unit.

"Shut the fuck up, Marcellus!" I shouted across the locker room, moving around Crowe and hauling ass to get to the briefing room.

I stepped into formation with the members of my training unit that had arrived. A few more trickled in before the captain arrived, clipboard with assignments listed in hand.

"So Glaives. You've managed to prove yourselves to be competent in both battle and in harnessing the king's magic. You'll be receiving your official postings this morning and barring certain circumstances, you'll begin immediately." Drautos announced, looking down at the clipboard to begin going through the names and assigned postings.

"Han-Farron. Due to you not yet being the age of majority, the king has ordered that you return to your Goryean position of guarding First Princess Eun-Byeol. You may request a transfer to be put on war front rotation once you've turned eighteen."

I nodded quietly, relaxing slightly at the news that I'd be by the princess' side once again as the captain continued through the list of names.


	5. Harry in Winter

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So this is the last pre-written chapter from this summer and between upcoming assignments and exams, I don't think I'll be able to post again until around Christmas. Damn course-overload and fourth year classes! Anyways I'm glad people are enjoying the pace and slice of life nature of this instalment of the series. I'm hoping to pickup the pace in a few chapters and start to set the scene for the final years of happiness before everything goes to shit so hopefully I'll be seeing you guys in mid-late december!   
> As always, the chapter's title theme can be found on youtube in a playlist I'm compiling for each chapter theme https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PVJp307TNTY&list=PL-dBVheORzpCRFlAmkrQK-1_2mZXdj6Fu   
> Hope you enjoy!

I was easing into my placement at the citadel, content to be by Eun-Byeoul’s side once more. It was strange to no longer be serving her meals and helping her dress for the day and evening, but my new position as her guard allowed me to experience a closer relationship with her.

I was able to walk by her side and engage in mundane conversation with her as we went for strolls through the citadel gardens or went to the library to read for the afternoon. I had considered her a friend before I had been elected as her head maid all those years ago, especially when I first arrived in my mother’s homeland. But that relationship had become tarnished over time as the gap in status between princess and handmaid took its toll on us. Our time apart had healed it somewhat, much to my delight. It certainly made my days on duty much easier.

I was coming off of one of my shifts when I ran into someone full force, immediately starting up my apologies.

“Oh my god, I’m so sorry. I should’ve been looking where I was going! God, I’m an idiot.” I burst out as hands steadied me by my shoulders.

“No worries, Soo-Min. I was actually hoping I would run into when I heard you were posted at the citadel.” came the warm tone of Gladio, the older man’s hands reluctantly dropping from my shoulders, “You haven’t been responding to my texts lately, I thought I had done something to make you mad.”

“I’m sorry, Gladio. I’ve just been busy adjusting to my new posting. It’s been a long time since I last saw the princess, and I’ve been exhausted from training and catching up.” I assured him, waving my hands as I shook my head in the negative.

“Well, to help you relax, how about I take you out for a date. One evening where you don’t have to worry about anything.” the older man suggested, a grin spreading across his face.

I sighed gently, cursing all the gods that thought it would be hilarious to have Gladiolus Amicitia be my admirer.

“That’s really sweet of you, Gladio. I hate to break it to you, but you’re not exactly my type.” I said, looking up at him with an apologetic smile.

“How about this instead: we spar, and if you win, no date. If I win, I get to take you out tonight, no ifs, ands, or buts.” he offers, crossing his arms in a challenging manner.

I weigh my options silently, the possibility of winning versus losing being really close if I use my magic right. And it would be good to work out my stress through a fight. 

“One date. That’s it.” I tell him, looking up at him seriously.

Gladio nodded, happy to just have me agreeing, “If that’s what you want.”

“Alright, where do you wanna do this?” I asked, crossing my arms over my chest expectantly.

Gladio jerked his head to the side, turning around.

“One of the training halls should be empty. Come on.” he said, walking down the hall as I followed behind him.

I walked at his side and allowed him to direct me as we moved across the citadel to where the Crownsguard usually trained. Gladio poked his head into a couple of rooms before gesturing for me to follow him into one.

The gym was nothing like the training grounds of the Glaive headquarters, with bleachers lining the walls and a smooth, matted surface to sparr on rather than crumbling structures and hard dusty concrete. 

Gladio moved to one of the bleachers, removing his ball cap before pulling off his sweater. I followed his lead by starting to unbutton my jacket, pulling it off and folding it neatly to rest on the bleacher. I pulled my knives free from their sheaths and placed them with my jacket before looking to Gladio.

“Training weapons are over on the wall. There should be a few lances for you to choose from.” he told me, gesturing to the other end of the room.

I made my way over to the wall, curiosity bubbling at the sight of all the wooden weapons. There were only three wooden lances among all the different swords, daggers, and knives. I put two of the wooden knives in my sheathes as a precaution before testing the weight of the lances.

I ended up going with the largest one, which was my height, before turning to Gladio as he selected a well-worn greatsword from the wall. We made our way into the center of the sparring mat, settling into our stances before launching ourselves at each other.

The clattering of wood hitting each other was jarring, but not unfamiliar. I tried using the weight and size of both the greatsword and Gladio against him, darting in small openings to hit his sides before warping away. I had to use my lance as a defensive weapon on a few occasions, the force of Gladio’s swings travelling through the lance and through my arms.

It wasn’t long before he knocked the lance from my hands and had his greatsword pointed at my throat.

“I think I win this bet.” he told me, a cocky smile spreading on his face.

“Oh you really think so?” I said smartly, pulling a knife from the sheathe on my back and flinging it backwards to warp away.

I grinned broadly at Gladio from across the room, pulling my other wooden knife free from the sheathe before warping at him full force. There was no holding back on my part now that I was down to just knives, I knew I was going to lose but I was gonna give him hell before it happened.

He eventually got me on the ground, knives thrown across the room as the wooden greatsword was pointed at my throat once again.

“Okay, now you win.” I announced in defeat, watching a smile spread across his face. 

Gladio pulled the wooden blade away from my neck and helped me stand. We both began to clean the training weapons before hanging them back on the wall.

“So I’ll pick you up at your place?” Gladio suggested as he pulled his hoodie back on, smoothing back his sweaty hair and replacing his ball cap.

“Yeah, I’ll text you the address once I get home.” I replied, pulling my jacket back on but leaving the buttons undone and putting my knives back into their sheethes.

I followed the older man out of the training hall and stopped in front of him before parting ways.

“Well, I guess I’ll see you later.” I said in farewell, moving to go in the opposite direction.

“See you in a few hours.” he said with a grin, turning and walking down the hall as I turned to the opposite direction.

* * *

 

“I’m telling you the truth, Alex. It’s just a date with a friend who I lost a bet with. Nothing important.” I assured the older man, watching him hover in the doorway of the parlour as I put my earrings in.

“Nothing important she says. Felix, doesn’t that blush on her face suggest this date with a mystery boy is important?” My father’s cousin insisted, turning to look at his partner from across the room.

Felix continued to read his book, hardly glancing at me once before replying, “Alex, leave the girl alone. She’s only just forgiven you for needling her about spending the night at a friend’s house unexpectedly.”

“Well this is different. She’s going out to dinner with a boy and it’s fancy judging by what she’s wearing.” Alex said, gesturing at my wine coloured dress and black heels.

Both Felix and I rolled our eyes at the man’s antics, choosing to ignore him in favour of continuing what we were doing. I applied a coat of lip gloss to my lips before slipping it into my small hand bag, checking my phone anxiously to see if Gladio had arrived yet.

I walked out into the hallway, retrieving my summer trench coat from one of the house keepers, murmuring a quiet “Thank you,” as I slipped it on, checking my pinned up hair one last time in the mirror before stepping away.

My phone chimed with what could only be a text from Gladio saying he was out front before I poked my head back into the parlour.

“I’ll be back in a few hours. Don’t wait up for me!” I told Alex and Felix, hurrying out of the house before Alex could start mother-henning again.

I carefully made my way down the walkway, not quite use to heels yet but determined to not fall on my face. I could see Gladio waiting outside the car parked in the drive, a big grin on his face.

“You look great.” he complimented as I stopped in front of him, smiling down at me.

“So do you.” I replied, cause he did clean up nicely in a pair of black dress pants and a grey button up.

“Come on, I got reservations at a place a little further into the city.” he told me after we finished admiring each other, opening the car door for me.

The restaurant he had picked out was nice and open, but allowed for some privacy with the dim lights and spread out tables. 

As we waited for our food, we engaged in the usual date talk of getting to know each other since I hadn’t been very forthcoming with information about myself during our training sessions.

“So what did you do before you joined the Glaive?” Gladio asked as I sipped at my water, setting the glass down carefully.

“Well, I was the primary handmaid of the first princess back in Goryeo, and my mother was in a similar position with the previous second princess.” I told him, smiling fondly at memories of happier times.

He smiled as well, continuing to ask questions, “And before that?” 

I frowned lightly before admitting, “I lived here in Insomnia. My father died in the invasion of Tenebrae, which is why I moved back to Goryeo with my mother. And she died during the red wedding.”

Gladio winced slightly as we trekked into sensitive territory.

“I’m sorry about what happened to your family. Then and now.”

I sighed lightly before looking up at him.

“It’s alright. I’m healing and that’s what matters.” I assured him, reaching for my water again, “So what about your family?”

“It’s just my dad, little sister and me. My mom died from complications with Iris’ birth a long time ago.” Gladio answered, looking more at ease with his mother’s passing than I was with my own, “We’ve always been in Insomnia since it’s where the royal family is.”

“So the Amicitia’s have always been shields to the monarchs of Lucis?” I questioned, tilting my head slightly as I set my glass down again.

“Yeah, for every recorded Caelum, there was an Amicitia acting as their shield.” Gladio stated proudly, clearly embracing his heritage wholeheartedly.

Our food arrived, pausing our conversation as we thanked the server and began eating.   
I paused in my eating for a moment, setting my fork and knife down and looking at Gladio seriously.

“Listen, Gladio, I’m gonna be straight with you.” I said quietly, gathering my courage to talk about this honestly, “I’m sure you’re a fantastic guy and an amazing romantic partner, but you’re not really my type.”

The older man set his cutlery down and wiped his mouth clean with a napkin before answering, “I wasn’t bullshitting you earlier, Soo. This doesn’t have to be anything more than it is.”

I smiled at him happily as he picked up his utensils and continued to eat, pleased that he understood the nature of our relationship.

Our dinner carried on with minimal talk after Gladio suggested that he was alright with our relationship being strictly physical if that’s what I wanted.

The drive back home was silent as we were both wrapped up in our own thoughts. I thought on his words, wondering if I really wanted to move beyond this strange friendship to something more. 

Gladio helped me out of the car, closing the door and staring down appreciatively at me.

“Even if we’re just friends, we should really do this again. You look really good all dressed up like that.” he told me, honey brown eyes smiling down at me.

I chuckled lightly.

“Yeah, as friends. Unfortunately, you’re not pretty enough for me, Gladio.” I informed him, clasping my handbag tightly because I wasn’t sure what to do with my hands.

“Sure thing.” Gladio said with a chuckle, leaning down to press a chaste kiss to my forehead before stepping back and letting me walk to the house, a small smile present on my face.

* * *

 

I walked in the gardens with the princess the next day, the two of us enjoying the sunshine and light breeze. The princess had commissioned some light silk dresses to wear under her traditional red and gold beaded and embroidered coat. I had helped to pin her hair up in a simple style this morning, easily falling back into old habits.

We had been admiring the roses when Eun-Byeoul brought the subject up.

“ _ I heard through the grapevine that you went out for dinner with the prince’s shield. Look at you moving up in Lucian society _ .” she said to me, the sudden use of Goryean startling me.

“ _ How did you hear that _ ?” I asked, curious about how word of my date spread so quickly.

“ _ My maid this morning, such a young and pretty thing. Seems she was an old fling of his and thought she could make things difficult between us by informing me of your new paramour _ .” the princess informed me, examining a white rose bud as she spoke, “ _ I took her information and sent her on her way, it’s not like I didn’t know about your secret romance with that fisherman’s son all those years. Your lack of virtue is no business of mine _ .”

“ _ Alright then _ .” I replied, shocked that she had even been aware of my relationship with Orion.

“ _ So, is this something that will become permanent? Or was it a one and done deal _ ?” Eun-Byeoul questioned, moving through the garden at a slow pace.

“ _ It was just to settle a bet really, and I was honest with him about not being interested. But then he turned around and said it didn’t have to be anything more than friendship. _ ” I told her honestly, unable to lie when directly confronted by someone.

The princess nodded lightly before turning a mischievous smile onto me.

_ “So you wouldn’t object if I flirted with him then? Because I’ve seen him here and there, and if I wasn’t in this position, I’d have jumped him like a crazed teenager.” _

I laughed loudly at her admission, clinging to her arm to stay upright as she dissolved into giggles as well.

**Author's Note:**

> as always, please comment/subscribe/bookmark/kudos on your way out!


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